Obituary of Carlton D. Houck

Carlton (Carl) D. Houck, 82, of Lake Placid, passed away peacefully at home on October 15, 2014 after a year long illness with cancer. He leaves his beloved wife of 36 years, Denise (Sollien) Houck. Together, they have resided in Lake Placid, NY since 1996. Carl was born on March 1, 1932 in New Rochelle, NY, the son of Carl and Lueena (Titus) Houck. A year after graduating from Hamilton Central School, he enlisted in the US Army and earned the rank of sergeant first class as a combat engineer in the Korean War. Although, he played down his distinguished service record in the Army, he was the recipient of several medals and honors. Upon his honorable discharge, he worked as a lineman for telephone companies in Wyoming and Florida. In 1961, he returned to Hamilton NY and was employed by the Village of Hamilton as an electrical lineman until 1987 when he retired and moved to the Adirondacks. He loved the "mountains" and he was a care-taker for a number of properties in the area. Carlton loved "the woods". He was the proud owner of an Adirondack camp in Speculator, NY where he spent many weekends with family and friends. He was an avid hiker, hunter, and gardener. He had compassion for animals and was also a master at wood-working in his shop. He enjoyed sharing his appreciation for the wonders of nature with his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who adored his impressive and wide-ranging knowledge of the forest and his fun in teaching them to appreciate what they could feel, sense, and touch. Carl is best described as kind, trustworthy, smart, practical, generous, and hard-working. He always had a mischievous twinkle in his eye and loved to joke. If you asked him how he was, he'd say with a straight face, "I am not going to tell you." Then laugh. He loved to make you think. Carl had a special bond with his family and close friends, of which there were many. Carl was memorable because he was genuine, interesting, wise and always willing to help. Along with his wife, Carl leaves his daughter Stacey Tarbell and her husband Gerry; daughter Kathy Maille; step-daughter Kelli Barbuto and her husband Frank; several grandchildren; Jason, Matthew, Rebecca and her husband Josh, Jaimie, Anna, Mia, and Frankie; his sister, Norma Lamb and her husband Keith and their daughters Donna Lamb and Liza Car and her husband Don; his brother Kenneth Houck and his wife Emma; four sister -in -laws: Karen Lynch and her husband John, Sharon Dunham, Tari Joyce and her husband Ron, and Bonnie Poupore and her husband Dan; and many close nephews, nieces, and friends. A celebration of Carl's life will be held in the future with close family and friends. Burial with Military Honors will be held at Sackets Harbor Military Cemetery, Sackets Harbor, NY at the convenience of the family. Contributions in memory of Carl can be made to Tri Lakes Hospice PO Box 840, Saranac Lake, NY 12983 ( www.highpeakshospice.org) ; Adirondack Health Foundation- Oncology Center PO Box 120 Saranac Lake NY 12983 ( www.adirondackhealth.org); and North Country Honor Flight: PO Box 2644 Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid, NY is in Charge of arrangements. Relatives and friends are invited to light a candle and share a memory or leave online condolences at www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com .